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Why is Mary Warren scared to reveal the truth about Abigail in The Crucible?
Quick answer:
Mary Warren is scared to reveal the truth about Abigail due to fear of Abigail's vengeance and the potential severe punishment for her own role in the witch trials. Abigail has threatened violence against any girl who disobeys her, and Mary lacks the confidence to oppose her. Additionally, Mary fears being imprisoned or executed for her false accusations. Her fear and the prestige she enjoys as a court official compel her to maintain the lie.
Mary Warren is afraid to tell the truth about the corrupt court proceedings because she fears Abigail's vengeance and realizes that she will also be punished for falsely accusing innocent citizens of witchcraft. In act one, Abigail Williams threatened to kill Mary Warren and the other girls if they did not corroborate her story and follow her lead. Mary Warren is also a naturally timid girl, and she does not have the self-confidence to stand up for herself. After becoming one of Abigail's loyal followers, Mary Warren begins to enjoy her level of prestige as an important official of Salem's court, and she publicly accuses innocent citizens of colluding with the devil. However, at the end of act two, John Proctor demands that she travel to Salem to tell the truth in order to free Elizabeth. Mary Warren reluctant to tell the truth, not only because she fears Abigail but also because she understands that she will be severely punished for her role in the witch trials. Mary Warren risks being sent to prison or hanged for her participation in Salem's corrupt court.
By this time in the story, Mary is committed to the lies she has already participated in. If she admits to the court she has lied all of this time, and people have hanged for it, then she will surely be sent to jail, and perhaps killed herself.
To make matters worse, Mary is not a strong person and she fears Abigail, who has told her flat out of a "pointy reckoning" if any of the girls should recant their stories. Now she is in a no-win situation where she risks certain punishment on the one hand, or certain revenge on the other, and as a frightened young girl, she doesn't know what to do except continue in the lie, even after she has tried to come clean.
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